Dieter\u27s Deficit: Preoccupation And Working Memory

Preoccupying thoughts can cause disruptions of onesâ attentional system and may arise as the result of a clinical disorder, societal pressures, or individual predispositions. Goal acquisition requires one to be preoccupied with oneâs behaviors in order for success to be achieved, for example dieters must monitor their weight and caloric intake. As dieting is a widespread phenomenon in American culture it is important to understand the cognitive effect of preoccupation. This study examines the relationship between obsessional thoughts about food, weight, and shape, and cognitive task performance. The performance of Dieters and Non-Dieters on a battery of specific working memory tasks was compared, and the extent to which preoccupying thoughts contributes to this effect was be investigated. Our hypothesis is that dieters will show a verbal working memory deficit compared to non-dieters, was partially supported. These deficits were not attributable to general neuropsychological functioning differences between dieters and non-dieters

Sexy For Me: Enjoyment Of Sexualization, Embodiment, And Psychological Well-Being In Recreational Pole Dancers

Purpose: Recreational pole dancing may have dual implications for women’s mental health. Previous research (Pellizzer, et al., 2016) conducted under the framework of Objectification Theory has reported that enjoyment of sexualization can exert negative effects on body image through self-objectification and positive effects on body image through embodiment. The purposes of this study were to a.) replicate findings from Pellizer et al., (2016) and b.) to examine the theorized outcomes of Objectification Theory not addressed by previous research (eating disorder (ED) symptomatology, depressive affect). Methods: Recreational pole dancers (N = 82) were recruited from five recreational pole dancing schools. Participants completed a demographics form, measures of ED symptomatology, depressive symptomatology, positive body image, enjoyment of sexualization, and self-objectification. Participants also provided information on their recreational pole dance practice. Results: The findings of Pellizer et al., (2016) did not replicate in this sample. Participants generally scored significantly higher than community samples but lower than clinical samples on measures of ED symptomatology. Participants scored significantly higher on depressive symptomatology than community samples and but lower than clinical samples. When controlling for physical activity results generally remained unchanged – self-objectification and embodiment did not mediate the relationship between enjoyment of sexualization and the outcome variables. Generally, enjoyment of sexualization was significantly associated with positive body image, and negatively associated with ED and depressive symptoms; self-objectification was negatively associated with positive body image, and positively associated with ED and depressive symptoms; embodiment was positively related to positive body image and negatively related to ED and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Recreational pole dancing may have dual and conflicting associations with women’s mental health depending on if self-objectification, or embodiment is emphasized. Findings generally align with Objectification Theory in such that self-objectification was associated with deleterious outcomes. Given that participants broadly described recreational pole dancing as beneficial for their mental health, instructors should be mindful to maximize embodying elements during class. Future work should focus on how discrepancies between women’s current and ideal bodies influence observed relationships. Additionally, research should examine changes in variables over time to understand the temporal relationship between variables

An Experimental Test of the Impact of Varying Questionnaire Response Format on Prevalence Rates for Sexual Violence Victimization and Perpetration

Objective: This study examined the impact of a dichotomous versus scaled response format on prevalence rates of sexual violence perpetration and victimization, thus conceptually replicating Hamby et al., 2006 and extending those findings to the context of sexual violence. Methods: Two samples were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and were randomly assigned to either a dichotomous or scaled response format of the same questionnaire. Sample 1 was used to examine perpetration and received a perpetration specific version of the Post-Refusal Sexual Persistence Scale (PRSPS). Sample 2 was used to examine victimization and received a victimization specific version of the PRSPS. Results: Men and women who received the scaled response format reported significantly more incidents of sexual perpetration, and for each type of tactic studied, on the order of 1.7-9x more frequently. The association between response format condition and prevalence rates of sexual violence victimization was significant only for men (23.0 vs 39.4%) and for the tactic of verbal coercion (30.1 vs 41.5%), with the scaled response format producing greater responding. Conclusions: The response format of sexual violence items can significantly alter prevalence rates of sexual violence perpetration, with scaled response formats producing greater endorsements than dichotomous formats. Response format also appears to impact prevalence rates of sexual violence victimization, particularly for men

Understanding family dynamics in a cross-cultural sample: a multi-national study

The Family Systems Circumplex Model posits that balanced levels of cohesion and adaptability are associated with positive familial outcomes, whereas extremely high or low levels of these factors are associated with deleterious outcomes. Despite the popularity and utility of this model in Western cultures, there is a dearth of empirical data supporting its use in more culturally diverse contexts. The current, preregistered study assessed the Family Circumplex Model, cultural factors, and emerging adult outcomes across seven countries (i.e., China, Iran, Nigeria, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Participants were N = 3,593 emerging adults, mostly self-identifying as women (71.3%). Collaborators were participants in Psi Chi’s Network for International Collaborative Exchange (NICE) and administered measures related to family dynamics and cultural orientation to participants in a random order. Results indicated that the Family Circumplex Model did not fit cross-culturally. As such, a new model was adapted, the Expanded Circumplex Model, which demonstrated invariance across samples and between women and men. The Expanded Circumplex Model retained 6 constructs with differences regarding the separation of disengagement into 2 variables and the combining of adaptive flexibility and cohesion. The current study suggests that the cultural context in which family dynamics occur should be taken into consideration when conceptualizing family dynamics theory and measurement. Future work should seek to replicate and further apply the Expanded Circumplex Model to familial outcomes